Marthetta Clark Interview Log

View the fieldnotes below or download here.

Kentucky Folklife Program

Rural Heritage Development Initiative Central Kentucky Cultural Survey in partnership with the Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology at Western Kentucky University

Interview Log

County: Boyle
Technical Note: Marantz PMD 60 transferred to hard drive and audio CD
Interviewee’s name: Marthetta Clark
Date: 11.2.2007
Location: Mrs. Clark’s home in Danville, Kentucky
General Description: We discussed Mrs. Clark’s sewing and textiles, how she learned to sew, changes she has seen in Danville over the years, and her work in industry in Danville.
Audio (archival code): RHDI.Boyle.11.2.2007.Clark.mp3
Fieldworker: Meredith Martin
Fieldworker’s email and phone number: Meredith.martin466@wku.edu; 479-957-0551
Additional Notes: ___________________________________

00:00---5:00	Introduction, Discusses how she got started sewing and sewing for her four daughters. "I wanted to do something different" Began making jacket and quilts. She does not like to stay in one vein; likes to experiment and have challenges. Looking at rug, and discussion of how rug is made. Learned this at the quilt store and it is a new style. She sells her rugs in the galleries as well.
5:00-10:00	Sells the aprons and jackets and discusses the material she uses and its quality. She premakes her work and does not do commission. She is retired and does everything for fun. Discusses how she likes to give things away'things that people can remember her by. Tells the story of her first gallery hop. She has been in four gallery hops. Discusses the dolls she makes and then goes to get one.
10:00-15:00	Discusses her love for trying new things in sewing. Discusses making her daughters' clothes and her grandchildren. They loved it because they had clothes that no on else had. She still has her original sewing machine. She learned to sew from her mother as well as crochet. The work she does is for fun. She has taught her daughters, but they don't sew often. Her third child ran for Danville High School Queen. She made all her daughters' wedding dresses.
15:00-20:00	Description of the wedding dresses she made for her daughter. Discusses the furniture in her house and the curtains she has made. Discussions her inspiration for her work as well as her interior decorating. Discussions her collection of junk to renovate and the things she has made. Discussion of working for Whirlpool and how it moved after annexation in the late 1970s. She worked as a warehouse coordinator for 18 years.
20:00-25:00	She had to work to help raise the family. She married young and is still able to spend time with her daughters and 3 of the 4 of them live in the area. Her youngest daughter is the Danville track coach. Discussions of her other daughters jobs. Discussion of Mashusta and how they took over Whirlpool. She helped take care of her mother while working at Whirlpool. Mrs. Clark has 3 sisters and one is a twin. Discussion of where her other sisters are now.
25:00-30:00	Discussion of how she likes to work. Discussion of the rug making as calming, but at first she did not enjoy making it. Describes how she likes to learn to do sewing new projects. Discussion of doing quilting at Homemaker's clubs meetings and working with other people on quilts for unwed mothers and seniors. She plans to do a quilt by herself next year for her bed. Discussion of all the artistic opportunities available in quilting.
30:00-34:00	Discussion of future sewing projects. She has 11 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. Discussion of the two jackets and how they were made. She signed up for classes at the quilt store and learned how to make the jackets. She does not like to stay in one mode, but likes to keep trying new needle arts.
34:00-39:44	Discussion of growing up in Boyle County and going to school here. Discussion of old buildings being torn down. Trains used to come in town and everyone would go there. People used to walk everywhere, but now everyone needs cars to get around. People used to know one another, but in the neighborhoods the closeness is not as great as it used to be. She and her husband moved to the area in the 1960s. There are mostly senior citizens in the area. Their neighborhood was part of the annex and used to be on a dirt road. Discussion of urban renewal and the destruction it had on the neighborhood. Used to be a very active neighborhood full of children. A friend comes up and we interview ends.